Improvement in hay-forks



um 13125 ilt ffice.

JOHN C.- HITCHCOCK, CF New YonHpN. Y. Laan Patent No. 73,009, dared January 7, 186s.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAY-FORKS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

v Be it known that I, JOHN G. HITCHCOCK, of' the city and county o? New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and v'useful Improvements in the Construction of Forks for Handling Hay and the like; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact vdescription thereof. i

'I will irst describe what I consider the best means ofi-.carrying out my invention, and will afterwards designatethe points which I believe to be new. The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.'

Figure 1 is n face view ofthe several parts properly joined, but with only a portion of the handle.

Figure is a central section through the novel parts, and

Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line S in g.- -2.

Similar letters of reference indicate, like parts in all the figures.

A is the handle, which may be of any suitable wood, `B B are the tines, and B B are the Shanks, or the portions of the tines by which they arefconnected to the handle. The handle A is grooved, to allow the shanks B B', of the tines, to be embedded therein, as represented. C is a cap, which is adapted to fit on the end of the handle A, and to enclose the shanksBB, as represented; u D is a screw, which is insertedthrough the cap C, and threaded into the material of thehandle A. The tines B B are introduced through their respective holes in the cap C, previous to the insertion of the handle. Their shape allows them to move forward in their respective holes, until they reach the right point. AA small. projection', b, lon'each shank, locks against the interior of the cap'C, at the end, and prevents the tine from being drawn out by an end pull. The tines are squared at the point where they rest in the cap C, and thel holes in the cap are correspondingly squared, and are fitted closely. .t l

I prefer to make hay-forks exactly as 'here described, butlthe invention allows of various modifications in the proportions and in the working out of the several details. I consider it indispensable that the locking-parts v I shall be tted and arranged relatively to the ca p C, vasrepresented, either by producing them on the shanks, inthe form of projections, as represented, or by deflecting themain body ofthe shank to one side, or otherwise, so that it'shall produce a shoulder at each point indicated by b, adapted to lock irnily, and resist, -with great force, any strain tending to pull the tine out of its connection with the handle.

In adapting my invention to dung-forks, and analogous forks, requiring'. more than two tines, I introduce the supplementary tines either in the middle of the handle, or above, or below, as may be preferred, locking each into thecap Cby a. projection or shoulder, as indicated by 5, and securing the cap C rmly to the handle A. I believe that the adaptation of my invention to the'making of lforks with three-or more tines, will be easily executed by any good mechanic from this description. j

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as vnew therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows: v y j 1. I claim holding the tines against endpull by means of the lprojections or shoulders b, arranged to` lock against the ferrule or cap 0 while the latter is ixedon the handle by the .screw D, o its equivalent, all substantially as herein set forth.

2. I claim the within-described construction of the fork-times B, with a shoulder b, at the clommencement of the root of the tine, adapted to apply against a solid end of' the cap C, lsubstantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

' JOHN G. HITCHCOCK.

Witnesses:

-W. C. Der,

C?. C. LIvrNas. 

